[ Video ] Man Overboard

[universal_charm]

Who: Jim Kirk
Broadcast: Yes
Action: On the Tourist
When: Today/Now

<sub>[ When Kirk's image comes on the screen, he isn't his usual, happy, confident self. His face is more serious, seeming withdrawn and there is a tenseness in his jaw, as if he were grinding his teeth. He is silent for several seconds, looking as if he is gathering words, wondering how much to say.

Finally - ]</sub>

I had hoped the reality would be different, but there's no denying it anymore.

For those who knew him and cared about him, or even if you didn't I suppose, Remy Lebeau has returned to home. I'm sorry to add to what seems like a stream of bad news.

<sub>[ The feed will cut shortly after that because what else is there to be said?

If you come around the Tourist, though, one can find Kirk in the gym, working up a sweat, practicing self-defense or running. He wasn't one to drink when upset - he was one to work until there wasn't enough energy to think anymore. ]</sub>

Comments

video;

[frigidaire]

He was a pretty cool guy. I hope wherever he's going is a good place.

[ Isaac enjoyed their random hallway conversations and such, as well as the cats that roamed around. ]

video;

[universal_charm]

I'm sure he'll make it work, wherever he is. He's that kind of guy, after all.

[frigidaire]

Yeah, he is. Uh, you okay?

[ Isaac barrels into situations without really feeling them out first. ]

[universal_charm]

_{[ It's all right, Isaac. It's actually easier like that. H's better at that - captains aren't supposed to show their grief. ]}

I'll be fine. We all know this sort of thing can happen at any time, after all.

[frigidaire]

Yeah. This place is pretty weird. I wish we knew more why things happen here. I mean we had someone else on the ship leave and then come back, so.

[ He shrugs. ] It just gets kind of creepy, I guess.

[universal_charm]

I won't argue that. Unfortunately, Atroma keeps a tight lid. Otherwise, we would find a way to put a stop to all this and reverse it.

_{[ He sighed. ]}

Not that simple though.

[frigidaire]

Yeah, I've been here long enough to figure that one out. It's easy to forget that this place isn't where I'm normally supposed to be, sometimes. Guess that's how they want it to be, though.

[ Isaac rolls his eyes, then sighs. ] How long have you been here, again?

[universal_charm]

Hmm... Almost a year, I believe. Seven months, at least. I haven't kept all that much track of time, honestly.

_{[ It had seemed a pointless exercise. ]}

[frigidaire]

Yeah, it's easy to lose track. I only remember because my friend's birthday came and went. Over a year for me.

[ It makes his stomach do a little flip at the realization, and he frowns. ] Guess there could be worse places to end up.

[universal_charm]

I would say I'd keep track via my birthday, but it just happened a few days ago and I didn't come here - according to the Atroma calendar, during my birthday.

_{[ He makes a soft sound at that, not quite agreement, but almost. ]}

I am sure for some this place is better than what's waiting back home. That's why I want to control what's being done. We could give them options to choose better worlds.

[frigidaire]

That'd be pretty cool. I hope it works out that way. I don't know, staying here is okay, but being somewhere else a while might be nice, too.

[ Isaac shrugs over the feed, looking thoughtful. ] I don't know that I'd want to go back home, exactly.

[universal_charm]

Don't know?

_{[ It was a curious thing to say, not knowing. Usually the desire should be pretty clear cut, no? ]}

[frigidaire]

Yeah. I mean, I feel like I should go back. A lot was happening when I left, but I've got my best friend here. So it's like 50/50 either way.

[ He shrugs, feeling a little embarrassed now that he's said it out loud. Maybe he should know definitively whether he wants to go or not. ] I miss them back home, but even if I went back, things aren't gonna be the same.

[universal_charm]

_{[ He listened quietly, and he could see the difficulty. Kirk had many good friends here, but for him his duty was in his home, and he couldn't abandon the people he lead willingly. So he would go home. But for others like Isaac - well, the decision couldn't be nearly so clear cut, could it? ]}

I think that's a reasonable way to feel. Regardless of how we try to avoid it, we build lives here.

[frigidaire]

Yeah, it kind of weirds me out that we can go home and not remember this place. And things weren't really great when I left, so I don't know. It's like I'd have to kind of deal with it and move on all over again.

[ Isaac tilts his head and goes quiet for a few seconds, thinking. ]

Sorry. Just kind of meant to check in, not make it more crappy I guess.

[universal_charm]

No, it's all right. It's actually nice to know I'm not the only one who feels crappy about it. In my head, I know I'm not, but actually hearing it just... helps.

_{[ He runs a hand over his face. ]}

But I understand. I 'went home' not that long ago, and woke up here, and it... the adjustment was strange, to say the least.